Refrigerator



'(No-Model.) v v a J.l J. WRIGHT.

REPRIGERATOB..

No. 455,556. Patented July 7, 1891.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN .I lVRlGHT, OF BURLINGTON, VERMONT.

REFRIGERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 455,556, dated July '7, 1891. i Application tiled October 25, 1890. Serial No. 369,329. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

-Be it known that LJoHN J WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Burlington, in the county of Chittenden and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerators; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to wh ich it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvementinrefrigerators; and it consists i'n the arrangement and combination of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The objects of my invention'are to so construct and arrange the parts that afconstant circulation of air is kept up th rough the pro-A vision-cha1nber and to make the different parts removable, so as to give access to all parts of the refrigerator for cleaning purposes.

Figure l is a vertical section taken lengthwise through a refrigerator embodying myinvention. Fig. E. isa-perspective of an adjustable ice-rack. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modification of the ice-box.- Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the dotted line oc of Fig. 3, the exterior casing being removed. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the provision-chamber door,

showing a water-tank connected thereto.

A represents the frame of the refrigerator, which will be of any desired shape, size,.or construction. Inside of this refrigerator, at

any suitable distance from its top, are placed suitable supporting blocks or devices B, upon which the removable ice-box O is placed. This box, while it is made, preferably, removable, may be made stationary, if so preferred.

YInstead of being supported upon cleats or blocks, it may be suspended in position by hooks or any other suitable `devices from the -tops or sides of the refrigerator.

Inside of the frame A, at its four corners, are placed the strips D, two of which extend down only to the top of the provision-chamber, while the other two at the opposite end of the frame extend all of the way, or nearly so, to the bottoni of the provision-chamber E. The ice-box fits in between these four strips, which serve to form beyond the ends ot' the ice-box the two vertical tlues F G, through .which a circulation of air is kept up through the cooling-chamber E.

In order to allow the Yfree escape of the air which has become cooled in the ice-box into the Hue F, there is formedthrough the end of the ice-box, near its bottom, an openingI-I, which connects directly with the flueF, and through which flue the cold air descends into the provision-chamber. i

Should it be desired toy make the ice-box stationary instead of removable, a horizontal partition I will be formed in the frame, and upon this partition the ice will rest. In this case two doors J willbe used, and which when y closed extend across from strip to strip, so as to form the upper portions of the flues. The upper edge of one ofthese doors extends just flush with the upper ends of its two strips I), the same as the upperedge of one end of the ice-box C, while the lower edge of this door does not extend down to the narrow strip K, which extends across between the two cleats just above the partition I. The opening between the, lower edge of the door and the top edge of the strip serves to allow the cold air to escape directly into the tlue F. These strips K form the ends of the ice-box and preinto the provision-chamber. The upper edge per end of the Hue G, does not extend as high as the upper ends of its two strips D, but has its lower edge to extend down to the partition I or below the top edge of its strip K.

The space between the top edge of the frame which has been displaced by the coldzaiigto enter the top ot the ice box or chamber.Y

Should it be desired, an adjustable and removable rack L may be used, and which will be placed directly upon the top of the partition I. The ends of this rack L may beinade adjustable in relation to each other, as shown, or they may be hinged or made in one solid piece with the rack, as may be desired. Through that end of the rack which is adjacent to the ue F is made an opening N, through which the cold air Vfrom the ice-box escapes into the iiue, and the upperI edge ot' this end comes flush with the top of its-two cleats. The opposite end, which is adjacent to the flue G, does not extend up as high as the top edge of the frame, and thus leaves an vent any drip from the ice from flowing down of the opposite door J,vwhich forms the up? IOO opening at the top end of the flue G, through which the lighter air is forced back into the ice-box.

The object of making the ice-rack adj ustable is to adapt a single rack to be applied to refrigerators which vary in size and to make the rack more easily removed therefrom for any purpose by sliding the two walls thereof toward each other.

In order to conduct the cold air as' it passes from the ice box or rack directly to the bottom of the provision-chamber E, a door, slide, or cover O is used, and which is hinged at its upper edge to a hanger l, extending downward from one end of the ice-box, or which may be hinged to the under side of the partition I. If the door O is fastened to a hanger connected to the ice-box, when the box is removed the door O will be removedwith it, thus giving free access to the flue F from end to end for the purpose of cleaning it. In case it shouldnot be desired to hinge the door it may be supported upon small blocks at its lower edge or hooked at the top and then be held in place by means of buttons or any other suitable devices. By using the doors J, which are adapted to be turned out of the way, access is given to both of the ilues F G for the purpose of cleaning them. The iiue G, as is shown, is quite short and has its lower end to begin directly at the top of the provision-chamber, so that the lighter air rises directly into it as fast as it is displaced; but the other ilue is made long enough to conduct the cold air down to the bottom of the provision-chamber, and hence the door or cover O is necessary, and this is made movable for the purpose of allowing the lower portion of the flue. to be thoroughly cleaned.

A metal tank Q may be rigidly or detachably secured to the inner side of the door R', which closes the provision-chamber, and the faucet R for drawing off the water extends through the front of the door. This tank will project into the provision-chamber, and the water contained therein will be cooled by the cold air. OnA opening the door of the chamber the top or cover of the tank can be removed for cleaning or filling. If desi red,this

water-tank may be placed on the door of the ice-chamber, which will be made .so as to accommodate the tank. If desired, the tank may bemade as apart of the ice-box, or separately made and placed inside thereof in such a way as to allow of its removal, if so desired.

A i e for carr in@ off the waste water fromV the ice extends down through the provisionchamber. If the-partition I is used, the upper end of this pipe will make connection therewith; but if an ice-box is used then this box will be provided with a short`pipe,which will extend into the .top end of the waste-water pipe.

Having thus described my invention, I claimy l. In a refrigerator, the combination, with a casing, of a removable ice-box placed in its upper end, which is shorter than the width of the casing to form a flue at each end thereof and having one side .shorter than the other, the longer side having an opening nearits bottom, and a vertical wall secured to the box at its longer side and extending to near the bottom of the said casing, the box being shorter than the width of the casing to form aiiue'at each end thereof, substantially as described.

2. An ice-rack for a refrigerator, substantially as herein described, consisting of two side walls, one shorter in height than the other, and an opening in the higher wall at or near its lower end, the two walls being capable of adjustment toward or away from each other, substantially as shown.

3. The combination, in a refrigerator, of the casing and an ice-box placed in the upper end thereof, consisting of a bottom having upwardly-extending flanges and two side walls, which are hinged at their ends, one of the side walls extending from the said bottom to near the top of the said casing and the other wall extending from near one of the flanges to form an opening and to the top of the casing, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I hereby affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN J. W'RIGH'I.

Witnesses.

HENRY O-. WHEELER, CHARLES E. ALLEN. 

